


A Drunken Confession

by PhilistiniPhagottini



Category: Elder Scrolls Online
Genre: Alcohol, Drunken Confessions, Fluff, Humor, Mutual Pining, Other, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29305209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhilistiniPhagottini/pseuds/PhilistiniPhagottini
Summary: You let Fennorian in on a few of your secrets after copious amounts of alcohol.
Relationships: Fennorian (Elder Scrolls)/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 37





	1. The Party

**Author's Note:**

> I have recently played through Greymoor and I've fallen in love with Fennorian. He's just so cute T^T  
> So this is a very self-indulgent piece I am writing. It is going to be a two part story, with the first part being a little more light hearted than the second part. It could have been a very long one-shot but I simply decided to split it up. Let me know what you think. Feedback is welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

When Svana suggested a few tankards of mead, you were more than eager to take her up on the offer. Throwing yourself into the untold horrors of the harrowstorms left you feeling bone tired and in desperate need of some sort of relief. You were happy to drown out the pain with alcohol and you could tell that Svana was too. After all, you had both just killed her traitor Father only a few hours ago. Even though she admitted that she never really got along with Svargrim, he was still her Father. It was obvious that she wanted to drown the pain until she was numb to it all. 

She invited your other companions as well to the dining hall in Solitude castle. She said it was a happy occasion and it was to celebrate the hardships everyone had endured. Your little party only consisted of yourself, Lyris, Svana, her Orc friend Maugh and Fennorian. He was the only one who declined any alcohol, preferring to drink from his personal flask and watch as the rest of you drank countless tankards of mead. 

Svana only allowed a few servants into the dining hall to bring more mead along with the company of a lone bard playing the lute. His playing was good background music to the banter you partook in and you were happy with the small party. It was better than a grandeur banquet, in your opinion. Less noise and only close friends that you liked were allowed. 

A few hours went by in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Excluding Fennorian, the rest of you definitely had your fair share of mead and you could feel the effects of it coursing through your veins. Lyris didn't look affected by the alcohol at all. The only thing you noticed that was different about the half-giant was there was a little more colour in her cheeks. You figured that since she was a Nord, she'd probably have to drink her own body weight in mead before she even felt a tingle. You, Svana and Maugh however, were most certainly drunk at that point. It was pretty obvious when you slurred your words and you talked and laughed a lot louder than normal. 

At some point, late in the evening, the bard started to sing his rendition of "Sway as We Kiss." You proclaimed that you loved the song and you dragged Maugh and Svana up onto the table to dance with you. Fennorian didn't know if he should laugh or block his ears as he watched all three of you dancing around, singing along with the bard to the point you were all yelling the lyrics. Unfortunately, your little performance came to an end when Maugh accidentally stepped on Svana's foot. The young Nord yelped in surprise and bumped into you as she leapt away. You both toppled off balance and crashed into Maugh in the process as you all went tumbling to the floor. 

Fennorian cringed at the loud crash as all three of you ended up tangled in a messy pile of limbs. The fall had definitely been ungraceful and the aftermath was just as bad. Certainly not one of the finer moments in life. You groaned as you sat up but when you and Svana locked eyes, you both burst out laughing. 

Lyris sighed heavily as she shook her head. She pushed herself out of her chair and Fennorian was quick to follow her lead.

"That's enough mead for tonight" Lyris decided.

She waved at the bard, signalling to him to stop playing. He bowed and sighed with relief as he was finally dismissed for the night. Svana groaned as Lyris pulled her up off the floor by her arm, the Princess trying to shake off her ironclad grip.

"I believe it's past your bedtime. All of you."

Lyris was met with a symphony of groans and whines which caused her to sigh wearily. You tried to crawl your way from under Maugh, who was crushing your legs to the point you got pins and needles in your foot. You weakly grasped for Fennorian; a pleading look shining in your eyes.

"Help."

Lyris looked between all three of her drunk companions, a small frown tugging at her lips. She breathed deeply, letting out a small puff that blew a stray strand of blonde hair off her face.

"I don't have enough arms to deal with all three of you drunken idiots" she complained. "I'll take care of Maugh and Svana. Fenn, you get the Vestige."

Fennorian had already been helping you to your feet when he heard Lyris speak. He flinched slightly when you placed your hand on his waist, trying to balance yourself as you stood on shaky legs. When he realised that you weren’t trying to hurt him, his tense muscles slowly started to relax. He was a bit embarrassed that he even considered pushing you away in the first place but after what he had been through, it had just become a subconscious reaction. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the nasty thoughts that tried to worm their way inside his skull and instead, he tried to focus on his drunk friend. He shot Lyris a quizzical look when he heard your nickname.

"Vestige?" he questioned. 

Lyris sighed and shook her head as she hauled Maugh to his feet, receiving an irritated grunt from the Orc as he shook off her hand. 

"Sorry, old habit" Lyris responded with a small, nonchalant shrug. "Just one of the nicknames they've gotten over the years."

Fennorian’s ruby gaze settled back on you as he helped to keep you steady on your feet, one arm around your shoulder to support you. Considering the amount of alcohol you had ingested, he was mildly surprised that you could even stand at all. You had drunk enough to knock out an adult brown bear. He could smell it on your breath and it made his nose crinkle slightly but it wasn’t completely unpleasant.

A small hiccup clawed its way out of your throat, causing you to place a hand over your chest as if you were in pain. Fennorian tilted his head as he gave you a quizzical look, his tongue timidly darting over his lips as he thought carefully about his next question. 

"Quite a curious nickname" he said. "Why are you called Vestige?"

You turned your head in his direction, eyes locking with Fennorian's. It was a little unnerving when you held direct eye contact with him as you answered his question in an eerily calm and clear voice. 

"I had my soul ripped out of my body for a while" you replied. "Still functioned just fine though without it."

Fennorian's eyebrows had shot up to his hairline, jaw slack as he stared dumbfounded at you as he tried to process what you had just said. He had more questions than he did answers. After a couple of seconds of awkward silence you shrugged, almost collapsing when you pitched forward from the sudden movement. Fennorian kept you steady as you swayed slightly on your feet, fingers curling around your shoulder as he kept you upright. You chuckled softly at the concerned look he was giving you. You waved a hand through the air.

"Don't worry though, I got my soul back...eventually."

Fennorian opened his mouth but decided to immediately close it. He wasn't sure if this was just some of your drunken ramblings or if this was true. Tonight, he had come upon the revelation, more than once, that he didn't actually know a lot about you. You had become friends over the course of your adventures and trials with the Grey Host there was no doubt about that. But he didn't really know a lot about you as a person. He didn't fully understand how you knew Lyris and he had no clue about your past. And this fact bothered him a lot, since he had become quite fond of your company over the past few weeks. 

Fennorian's gaze travelled to Lyris and she looked mildly bored as Svana still struggled to shake her off, squirming in her grasp like a small child trying to get away from a stern parent. His gaze flicked between her and you as he briefly gestured to you, silently asking if what you were saying was true. Lyris' eyes faintly sparkled as if she were recalling a distant memory and she nodded with affirmation.

"It's true" she confirmed. "Every single word. They lost their soul for a bit."

Your shoulders slumped, head lowering as you stared blankly at the floor. 

"It took me a long time to learn how to love again" you whispered solemnly.

Lyris pointedly rolled her eyes. "Now they're just being dramatic."

Fennorian sighed softly. He quietly decided that he was going to save this conversation for another time. A time when you weren't inebriated and your words actually made sense. 

"Okay then. Time to get you into bed" he said.

Your mood shifted in an instant. You giggled softly as you playfully wriggled your eyebrows at him, a sly grin adorning your lips.

"Putting the moves on me, are you Fenn?" you slurred with a teasing tone. 

Fennorian gasped, almost dropping you in the process when he realised his poor choice of words.

"What? No, no!" he stammered, face flushing with heat at the thought. "I swear I have no ill intentions!"

You started laughing, knocking your shoulder into Fennorian's to cut his rambling short. "Relax, I'm just teasing you, Fenn."

You brushed his dark bangs out of his face, tucking the stray strands behind his pointed ear. His breath hitched; lips slightly parted as he stared at you with wide eyes. Your touch was...warm. Were you always this warm? He wasn’t quite sure. The only contact he’s ever had with you was brief. A small brush of hands, a friendly clap on the back for encouragement, a helping hand to haul the other to their feet…

Your hand slipped down his face again before you pinched his cheek, pulling at his skin and snapping him out of the brief stupor he had been caught in. You smiled warmly at him. 

"You look so cute when you're flustered" you cooed.

Fennorian sighed softly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He brushed your hand aside yet he could still feel the traces of lingering warmth from where your fingertips had pressed into his skin. You hummed thoughtfully. 

"You need more colour in your cheeks" you mentioned. "Your skin is unusually ashen. Kind of look like you’re dead."

Fennorian stared at you blankly, a small frown tugging at his lips. He reminded himself that you were highly intoxicated and the small slip of your tongue barely bothered him.

"Well, I am a vampire" he pointed out.

You blinked rapidly with surprise and he could see the gears in your head spinning. Realisation dawned on your face before you gave him a dopey grin.

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that."

It was as Lyris said. It was way past your bedtime. 


	2. The Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dearies~ Have the next chapter for you. I hope I didn't ramble too much and that it makes sense. It's been fun writing for Fenn. Would love to write more for him again. Thanks everyone for liking and leaving such lovely comments. Enjoy!

You were compliant and didn't put up a fight as Fennorian led you out of the dining hall for the evening. Unfortunately, Lyris had to deal with both Maugh and Svana all by herself as they tried to convince her to have just one more drink. She had her hands full with the two drunken louts and Fennorian felt a little bad having to leave. You told him not to worry about it, mentioning that Lyris would drag Svana back to her bed chambers by her ankles if she had to.

Fennorian was able to expertly move through the winding halls of the castle while keeping you stuck to his side. You had your own personal quarters inside the castle for whenever you needed it and you definitely needed it right now. He didn't have to ask you where your quarters were. He had been to your room countless times whenever he needed to fetch you or when he walked you back after you helped with his research. He knew the way as well as he knew the back of his hand. When you had both reached your quarters, you happily threw open the door with a sharp bang, the wood rattling in the frame as you burst into the room.

"I'm home!" you announced.

Fennorian's ears twitched, your voice loud and grating against his sensitive ears. He tried to hush you, not wanting to disturb anyone else who might be sleeping at such a late hour. When he pressed his fingers to his lips you started to giggle like he had just told you a funny joke. 

The only one to be disturbed by your boisterous entrance to your quarters was your dog. He was curled up into a ball in front of the fire place, the heat licking at his fur and keeping him pleasantly warm for the evening as he dozed in and out of sleep. His head immediately jerked up when you returned, eyes trained on the entrance and ears perking up at the sound of your voice. You waved at the wolf pup as Fennorian quietly shut the door behind you. 

"Hey Snowbouncer! I'm home!" you exclaimed.

Your dog huffed loudly, head flopping back down to the floor when he realised there was no immediate danger. He nestled his head on the soft, bear pelt rug underneath him, tail wagging lazily when you cooed his name once more. A small smile tilted Fennorian's lips at your interactions with your pet. You were very fond of the wolf the moment Svana had gifted him to you. He was a little smaller back then and you had proudly showed him off to anyone who would listen, cradling the pup in your arms like a newborn babe. 

You started to giggle again, suddenly tipping off balance and stumbling backwards a few steps. Fennorian was quick to step forward and brace you before you met the floor, hands placed on the small of your back to keep you steady. You started to squirm, your movements causing you to slip back even further. Without hesitating, Fennorian looped his arms around yours, catching you before you could set both of you off balance. Your head bumped into Fennorian's chest, a small gasp of surprise leaving your parted lips.

"Careful" Fennorian warned. "Your coordination is getting worse."

You tilted your head back until you were staring up into his face. Your brow furrowed with confusion as a look of surprise crossed your features.

"Fenn? What are you doing here?" you inquired. 

He tried not to act thrown off by your sudden question. After all, that was the second time he had heard that question tonight. He helped you to straighten up, half lifting you until you stood up properly on your own feet. He gave you a patient smile as he gestured to the bed behind you. 

"Helping you to your bed" he replied.

Your eyes sparkled faintly as you suddenly remembered, slowly becoming aware of your surroundings through the thick haze of alcohol. 

"Oh yeah" you slurred. "Thanks Fenn."

He let out a small sigh of relief. Dealing with your sudden shifts in mood was a little challenging but nothing that Fennorian couldn't handle and take in stride. All he had to do was get you settled and he was confident that you wouldn't trouble anyone or accidentally hurt yourself during the night. Now, how was he going to coax you into getting into bed?

He didn't have to ponder the question long, because you made up his mind for him. As soon as you turned around and saw your bed, you were more than happy to approach it on your own. 

"Bed" you sighed wistfully.

Your legs were still a bit shaky but you were fine to walk on your own. Halfway across your room, you decided to kick off your shoes. Fennorian panicked when he saw you hopping on one foot as you undid the laces of your shoes but somehow, miraculously, you kept your balance and discarded both shoes on the floor as you stumbled to your bed. He knew it shouldn't have bothered him and he tried to ignore it. But it bugged him when you left your shoes laying around haphazardly. He knew he wasn't your maid and he should just leave it be, but the urge to move them out of the way gnawed at his skin. What if you tripped on them? He couldn't have that. Yes, that's why he was moving them. Not because he was a neat freak and everything had a proper place. No, that certainly wasn't it. He was just concerned for your safety like a good friend. 

He snatched your shoes off the floor, untangling the rest of the laces to prevent them from knotting. You had tugged on them so hard he was surprised the cord didn't snap. He absentmindedly brushed the dust off the top of your shoes and only looked up when he heard something clatter to the floor. As soon as he lifted his head, his eyes went wide and he yelped with surprise. You were already halfway through undressing yourself, deciding that what you were wearing was too much and wanting to sleep in something more comfortable. Fennorian stared longer than he cared to admit, eyes quickly darting over your physique.

His face erupted with heat as he spun on his heels, the sharp turn almost making him spin out of control. His chest felt tight as he stared at the stone floor beneath his feet, mind trying to think of anything but you getting undressed behind him right now. He didn't blame you; you were still drunk so you probably really weren't that concerned with what you were doing. He didn't say anything, preferring to keep his mouth shut and waiting in uncomfortable silence, counting the seconds that ticked by to keep himself distracted.

He chanced a look in your direction when he heard the bed creak, only to find you dressed in your night clothes and sitting on your bed. Your head was low, hands pressed to your forehead, no doubt to keep your oncoming headache at bay. For the first time tonight, you were unusually quiet. Fennorian guessed that the alcohol had finally caught up to you. 

He was cautious as he approached, footfalls light as he stepped to the side of your bed. He deposited your boots neatly at the foot of your bed, confident that you would be able to find them come morning. He looked back at you, noting that you were still silent, hands cradling your head and eyes staring blankly at the floor. He timidly licked his lips and awkwardly cleared his throat. 

"Right, well, I'll be off for the night" he announced. "Try and get some rest."

Fennorian turned to leave. He was sure that Svana would demand he give her some sort of potion or tonic for the morning and he had to prepare himself for that conversation. Though, he was sure he did have something to help ease the pain of a world ending hangover. Before he could take a single step away from you, your hand suddenly shot out and snatched his wrist. He flinched; your grip surprisingly firm as you tugged on his arm, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Please, don't leave" you mumbled. 

Fennorian slowly turned back to you, eyes wide with concern. He had never heard your voice sound so...meek. You stared at your lap, teeth nibbling your lips as you struggled with your own thoughts. He patiently waited for you to continue.

"Fenn, is it alright...I've never..."

You trailed off before you suddenly raised your head. You swallowed thickly, a pleading look shimmering in your glassy eyes.

"Can I hug you?"

That...was not a request he had been expecting. He felt rooted to the spot as all his thoughts fizzled out at such a simple request. You wanted a hug? Was this just the alcohol doing the talking for you? He had a strange feeling that it was both a yes and a no. You were staring at him with absolute clarity in your eyes, the same look you had given him back in the dining hall when you answered his questions. 

Fennorian hesitated. It was a simple and innocent request. Even he had indulged in a thought or two about being held by you. He had been isolating himself for so long that he couldn't remember the last time he held someone in his arms. It made him feel elated yet he was trepidatious. He had been through quite a lot over the past couple of weeks. He still flinched whenever someone else touched him, even when he considered that person a friend. It had become a nervous tick and he couldn't stop the fight or flight response kicking in when someone so much as even accidentally brushed their hand on his shoulder. He didn't know when it was going to stop, or even if it would ever stop. His body expected pain every time it happened and it made him uncomfortable. It was still hard for him to get over what Tzinghalis put him through. 

He bit the insides of his cheeks as he thought, his eyes lingering on the hand wrapped firmly around his wrist. You weren't hurting him but his muscles still refused to relax. They were wound up so tight they would start knotting together soon. He let out a shaky breath, the deep exhale blowing a few strands of his dark bangs off his face. His eyes flicked back up to your face, finding that you were silently staring at him, waiting for his response. 

Perhaps if he knew that it was coming, it wouldn't be so bad? Life sparked back into him as his lips twitched at the corners, his head tilting to the side as he regarded you.

"An unexpected request but I would be happy to oblige" he replied with a nervous chuckle. 

The second he gave you his permission, your head tipped forward, arms wrapping securely around his waist as you buried your head against his abdomen. Fennorian flinched despite him expecting it, shoulders tensing and arms hovering in the air uselessly as you hugged him tightly. He didn’t know where to put his hands. He finally decided to settle them on your shoulders. He tried to get his body to relax, constantly reminding himself that you weren’t going to hurt him.

A moment passed by in complete silence and Fennorian wondered if he was doing this right. Your body was incredibly warm compared to his own, icy skin yet the cold didn’t seem to be bothering you as you continued to cling to him. He stared at the top of your head, unsure of what to do next. It wasn’t unpleasant to be held by you, despite the minor stench of alcohol that lingered on your lips. He absentmindedly brushed your hair behind your ears, enjoying the way the silky strands slotted between his fingers. You groaned softly under your breath, finally stirring from your drunken stupor to speak.

"Hey, Fenn, I like you" you mumbled, voice muffled into his clothes.

Fennorian continued to stare at the top of your head, brow pinched together. He didn’t hear what you just said and he had very good hearing. It was hard to understand you when you were speaking into his stomach. He pushed on your shoulders, much to your protest, pushing you away so he could look at your face. It was contorted with a flustered expression and your eyes refused to meet his.

"Could you repeat that?"

You huffed loudly, cheeks puffed out and eyebrow twitching with irritation. "I said I like you, you vampiric tart."

"Scathing words. How shall I ever recover?" he jabbed, trying to coax a light hearted response from you.

It had the opposite effect of what he had intended. Instead, your eyes narrowed as you shot him a fierce scowl, teeth bared as you snarled at him.

"I’m being serious, Fenn!"

He held his hands up, trying to placate the rage that had seemingly come out of nowhere. Your grip tightened, fingers pulling at his clothes as tears pricked the corners of your eyes. The alcohol that flooded your system was running rampant. It was giving you the courage to say things that you wouldn’t have the guts to say when sober. These feelings had been festering inside of you long enough and you couldn’t keep it in any longer. The alcohol may have been clouding your judgement, but you felt it necessary to let it all out, despite any consequences.

"I was scared when you were taken by Tzinghalis. I thought-" you paused for a moment, tongue wetting your dry lips before you continued. "I thought I wouldn’t see you again. Everything went by in a blur. The only thing I recall was the fear that gripped my heart until I found you again. I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel for a long time. I wanted to say something before…Fuck Fenn, you scared me shitless."

Fennorian was silent, mind spiralling out of control and reeling over the confession. Was this happening? It never even occurred to him that you felt this way. He had no idea that the whole ordeal had affected you that badly. You hadn’t said anything, keeping your feelings bottled up inside until you were drunk enough to finally let it all out. Now he understood why alcohol was called "liquid courage."

He only snapped out of his thoughts when he heard you sniffle. He could barely keep it together when sober people cried, how was he supposed to deal with it when an emotional drunk person cried? But above all else, he really didn’t want to see you cry. He rested his hands on your shoulders once more, trying to hold you upright before your emotions consumed you and you collapsed.

"Please, don’t cry" he pleaded.

"I can’t help it!" you groaned. 

You shoved your face back into Fennorian’s abdomen, almost completely knocking him back as you buried your head against him and screamed in frustration.

"You’re just so damn pretty!"

Unable to think of something to do, Fennorian placed a hand on your back, gently rubbing his hand down your spine. The soothing motion was able to calm you and there were no further outbursts. You heard the tip tap of nails on the stone-cold floor and you looked to the edge of your bed to see that Snowbouncer had stirred from his slumber. He tilted his head, giving you a curious look. Fennorian smiled softly at your furry companion as he gently patted the spot next to you.

"Up" he commanded.

Snowbouncer was able to make it up onto your bed with a single bounce, shuffling over until his upper body was sprawled across your lap. When you turned your head away, your dog immediately went for your face, tongue leaving behind a wet trail of saliva on your cheek. Your face scrunched up and you couldn’t help but laugh as your dog continued to lick your face, trying to chase away your sullen mood. You grabbed his face and smooshed his cheeks together, earning a playful growl as his tail waved happily in the air. You couldn’t stay mad for long and finally started to settle down, Snowbouncer playfully licking and nipping your fingers as you stroked your fingers through his long, thick fur.

"Do you hate me now?" you murmured.

Fennorian tilted his head, almost taking a step back. "Why would I hate you?" he blurted.

You rolled your shoulders with a small shrug. "Because I’ve effectively ruined our friendship."

He was a little hurt that you would think that. He could never hate you; didn’t you realise that? Fennorian shook his head as he knelt down in front of you, eyes seeking out yours. If you had the courage to admit your feelings, than he could do it too.

"That’s where you are mistaken" he replied. "You have enough courage for both of us to admit your feelings out loud. I’d like to have even a dash of your bravery."

A look of confusion crossed your features, eyebrows furrowing as the gears in your head started to turn.

"Wait…so you…like me?" you asked, pointing a finger to yourself.

He nodded, a smile pulling at his lips as he gave you a fond look. Your body felt incredibly warm and you didn’t think it was from the alcohol anymore. Your heart was pounding wildly in your chest and it was so loud you knew that Fennorian would pick it up with his keen hearing. You stared at your hands as all your memories of the past couple of weeks came flooding back to you. Realisation dawned on your face. Oh, that explained a lot. 

"Oh, now I feel like an idiot for not noticing" you mumbled.

"You are drunk" he pointed out.

You smiled. "Yes I am!"

Fennorian shook his head as he sighed. This was certainly an interesting turn of events for the evening. He didn’t mind it, even if it took copious amounts of alcohol for you to finally confess your feelings. He hesitated with his next question for a moment, stroking Snowbouncer’s soft fur until he found the right words.

"Are you sure you want to date a vampire?" he inquired.

You gave him a dopey grin. "Yep. We’re pretty similar. After all, I’ve been dead inside for years."

Your attempt at humour made Fennorian snort softly and he had to slap a hand over his mouth to try and contain his laughter.

"I think it’s your bed time."

"Okay" you chirped.

Your mood had shifted for the countless time that night and Fennorian was relieved that you were happy and smiling again. You reached for his face and for the first time tonight, he didn’t flinch when you gently pat his cheek.

"Remind me in the morning, okay? I might not remember this drunken confession."

He gently took your hands in his, partly to stop you from slapping his face and partly so he could give your hands a reassuring squeeze.

"I’ll remind you in the morning" he confirmed.


End file.
